


On a Midsummer Night

by cienna



Category: Nana
Genre: Comfort/Angst, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 16:40:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1096202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cienna/pseuds/cienna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will Nana and Hachi finally have their reunion?</p>
            </blockquote>





	On a Midsummer Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mithrigil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mithrigil/gifts).



It’s dark when Hachi gets off the plane in London. She has always heard that London is rainy, but the sky that night is clear; the moon shining brightly above the horizon. It’s cooler than the humid hot nights of the Tokyo summer. She tries to ignore the excitement welling up in the pit of her stomach. This is it. It’s finally here. Her chance to see Nana again.

It won’t do to get too excited. She tries to calm her breathing and think of other things – Tokyo and her apartment and little Satsuki, who Nobu is watching while she’s gone. Satsuki had been so excited that her mama was going on a plane to another country where papa and big brother were. She had made Hachi promise to take lots of pictures and bring her back some British chocolate. She had even drawn a picture for Hachi to take with her. It was a crude crayon drawing of two people holding hands, one with long brown hair and the other with short black hair.

“Who is this, Satsuki?” Hachi had asked.

“That’s you and your friend. The one you’re looking for. I know you’re going to find her, Mama.”

Hachi had been forced to turn away to hide her tears. “You’re right, honey. I know I will.” And she would. If she had to search to the ends of the earth, she would.

And now she is here. In the same city as Nana, looking up at the same moon and breathing in the same cool evening air as she clutches her London guidebook to her heart. 

Takumi is out of town on a business trip, but has arranged for her to be picked up from the airport and taken to one of his favorite London hotels. It’s near London Bridge and Hachi stares wide eyed at all the bright red double decker buses and the signs that are all in English. She knows that one of the clubs Nana sometimes sings at is near the station. Could she be in this area now? Hachi stares at each blonde woman she passes; studies their faces carefully. What if she walks past Nana and doesn’t even notice her? The thought makes her heart beat faster and she pauses to calm herself. Only one more day. One more day until she will see Nana again.

The hotel room Takumi has booked for her is actually a suite with all sorts of high tech features that Hachi would normally spend hours playing with, except that now all she can think about is tomorrow. What if Nana isn’t at the club? The private investigator they had hired said that Nana almost always played on Saturday nights, but Hachi can’t shake her worry that something will still go wrong. The demon lord does have it out for her after all. Maybe he doesn’t want her to have Nana in her life.

The other thing that she can’t stop thinking about is Nana’s reaction. What if Nana screams at her and tells her to go away? Tells her to go back to Tokyo and never come back. What if she ignores Hachi or pretends not to know her? Either reaction would be equally devastating, but Hachi knows she has to prepare herself. Nana is in another country because she doesn’t want to be found. Hachi is the one intruding on _her_ space. She has to remember that. And really just seeing her again will be enough. Seeing that Nana’s okay for herself rather than just hearing the private investigator’s reports. 

Hachi forces herself to go through her usual nighttime routine, washing her face, brushing her teeth, and slipping under the covers in the extremely luxurious bed. It’s not that late in London, but she’s still on Tokyo time, and she wants to be prepared for tomorrow. Her thoughts won’t let her sleep though – images of Nana looking even thinner than usual, her hair long and blonde seem to overlap with the Nana she knew, short black hair, dark eyes framed by long eyelashes, her lips warm and eager against Hachi’s. Eventually she falls into a troubled sleep where she sees Nana crying beside a gigantic lotus flower. The crying becomes louder and louder and suddenly Nana can’t breathe. She’s struggling with her hands at her throat, but her eyes are locked with Hachi’s. They look desperate. When Hachi gets close enough to touch her she reaches her hand out and Nana disappears, leaving behind a pile of black lotus petals.

Hachi awakens to a strong sense of loss, but it quickly fades away into excitement. Today is the day she will see Nana again! Nothing can destroy the feeling of pure happiness at that thought. Even though it’s early in London she gets ready quickly and heads downstairs to breakfast. Several strong cups of coffee with lots of sugar and milk later she is feeling very awake and ready to face the day. Hachi consults her guidebook trying to decide what will distract her the most while she is waiting for the evening to come. Looking at the guidebook she tries to think of things that Nana might like to do. She settles on visiting Camden Market and checking out some of the vintage shops. 

At the end of the day she goes back to the hotel, arms weighed down with several shopping bags. She couldn’t resist picking up a few cute dresses for Satsuki and even found a hat she thought Ren would like. She hadn’t spotted Nana in any of the shops, although she had lingered at a shop that had some Vivienne Westwood inspired dresses. There was one red and black striped dress that she could just picture Nana wearing. She had to restrain herself from buying it. Maybe tomorrow she and Nana could go there together.

Now she has to start getting ready. The private investigator had told her that Nana doesn’t usually come on until ten but Hachi wants to get there a little early so she can get a spot near the stage. Hachi pulls out the dress she has carefully selected, the one that Nana had complimented her in, so many years ago now. She wasn’t sure if it would still fit, but luckily the lines of the dress are forgiving. Her hands shake as she tries to apply her make-up, and she has to take a few breaks. Finally she’s ready. Hachi surveys her appearance with a critical eye. Maybe slightly more serious and jaded than back when she and Nana met on the train, but it will do. She calls the front desk to order a taxi. This is it. It’s time. Nana steels herself and walks out the door of her hotel room.

***

The club is dark and crowded, mostly students and a few that look like Nana’s typical groupies. They’re sitting in a group on the side, clearly waiting for Nana to come onstage. The band on before her is good, but Hachi can’t concentrate on the music. She’s too busy trying to calm her nerves. Despite the strange lack of cigarette smoke, she feels light-headed. She manages to muddle through enough English to buy a cocktail and sits down at a table in the back. The day seemed to go by in a flash, but these last few minutes are excruciating.

The other band finishes their set and leaves the stage. All of the groupies get up and move towards the front and Hachi follows but tries to stay inconspicuous. She doesn’t want Nana to see her too soon and disappear out of her life again. Another girl comes up to her and tries to make conversation, but Hachi can barely form coherent answers, the English she learned at school deserting her. The girl soon gives up and moves closer to the stage. Suddenly the girls in front start screaming – someone is coming on stage. Hachi strains to see over the heads of the people in front of her. She can barely get a glimpse of someone, a woman, with blonde hair. Her hands are clammy and her heart is racing in her chest. The performer moves closer to the front of the stage and Hachi can see the woman more clearly, golden locks illuminated by the lights of the stage. Hachi falls back, clutches the metal table with her hand for support. The woman isn’t Nana.

Hachi stays until the end of the woman’s set and the end of the set after that. She feels numb, like her mind can’t process anything that’s going on. The bartender announces last order and people start leaving. Hachi still sits over her drink feeling the now lukewarm condensation against her hand. Nana would have liked the music. She feels something wet fall across her hand and realizes she is crying. The realization makes her cry harder until she is sobbing at the table, covering her face with her hands. It’s like all the anticipation has melted away into despair. Why did she ever think she would see Nana again? It’s impossible. She was stupid to think it would be so easy.

A hand touches her shoulder gently and Hachi quickly wipes away her tears. The bartender is probably kicking her out. Instead, a shocked voice whispers her name. “Hachiko?”

Hachi turns around and stands up in a flash, almost knocking her drink over in the process. Nana is standing there in front of her. She looks even thinner than she did in the photos the investigator sent over, dark circles under her eyes and her hair is no longer blonde but back to her usual shade of black. It’s longer than before though, making her look strangely vulnerable even under all of her usual make-up.

“What are you doing here?” 

Nana is still touching her shoulder, but Hachi can feel her shaking. Her eyes are wide and her voice sounds so shocked that for a moment Hachi feels guilty for surprising her like this. “Nana…I…” Hachi’s voice melts away and then she is throwing herself into Nana’s arms, the tears coming faster now as she presses her face against Nana’s neck. Nana is frozen for a moment and then her hand is rubbing Hachi’s back soothingly and murmuring words of comfort. It’s so familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time that it just makes the feelings more intense. 

“Hachiko, stop. You’re making me all wet. I’m going to look like I’ve taken a shower.” Nana motions to her now wet shoulder.

Hachi looks up to her and sees that in spite of her put out voice, Nana is crying too. She smiles at Hachi and then presses a kiss to the top of her head. It makes Hachi light-headed and she sways slightly, but Nana is there supporting her. Nana is there. Surely this can’t be real. She doesn’t deserve to be this happy.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” Hachi says. “I didn’t think you would ever come on your own. So I came to you.”

Nana sighs and looks down. “I wanted to. I wanted to come. But it was like I was frozen in place.”

“Summer’s here now,” Hachi says.

Nana looks at her and smiles. “Yes. Yes it is.”


End file.
